1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an integrated sampling and dispensing device, and more particularly, to an integrated sampling and dispensing device by which collecting specimen and dispensing the same after a reaction is performed in a single device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various chemical or biochemical tests are developed for measuring biological indicators/markers present in biological samples that are associated with a development of particular diseases, general health status, or infection. Such tests are generally performed through multiple stages of chemical reactions and/or often require physical manipulations, which involve various reagents and tools. For example, when biochemical substances, such as occult blood included in fecal matter or mucus, specific chemicals, or proteins, are detected, physical manipulation that required includes several stages of collecting biological sample, dispensing the sample to a container for a reaction with one or more of test reagents of interest, and transferring and applying the reaction product from the container to a test device for analysis.
Conventional devices used for collecting samples for a test do not provide means for taking accurate amount of sample or need a separate element to dispense the sample after a reaction for analysis. This has caused inconvenience to the user in terms of handling and quality control and also increased the manufacturing cost of the device which resulted in increasing the total cost of analysis.
One conventional device includes a container body having two ends, one ends at the bottom is closed and the other end at the top is open and having a space formed therein and a first cap that closes the open end of the container body, wherein the first cap has a collection member mounted thereon for sampling specimen and the collection member has an outlet formed at one end and several grooves formed on a surface thereof in a region closed to the other end of the collection member and a second cap for closing the outlet. According to the conventional device, the collection member mounted on the first cap is used for collecting specimen of interest at the end having the grooves and the first cap is replaced on the open end of the container body allowing the specimen collected and a reagent in the container body to react. Thereafter, for analysis, the second cap is removed and the container body is turned upside down to discharge the reaction product therein through the outlet. However, the device does not provide a means to accurately control the amount of the specimen to be used for the reaction, which resulted in a low reliable and reproducible result due to the inconsistent amount of the specimen used for reaction.
According to other conventional device, to solve the foregoing problems, a means to control the amount of specimen used for reaction is implemented. In this case, however, an outlet for discharge of the reaction product is usually formed on one end of a container and not on a collection member. For example, the bottom of a container body is closed by a cap which can be removed for dispensing the reaction product, which is inconvenient to use and increases the manufacturing cost of the device. A need therefore exists for a convenient and reliable device that requires minimal manipulation, integrating means for accurately control the amount of specimen used for a reaction and dispensing into one system.